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Instead of the playboy I’d come to expect, this version of Prince Savva was astute and driven to achieve his goal of funding for the observatory. It was like watching a preacher pass around a collection plate, and nobody was safe.
Heck, I almost reached for my purse before I realized it. For some reason, watching him drum up money for the observatory turned me on even more than the illicit little touches and seeing his bare backside every morning.
I shook the thought away and focused on my notes. No way was I going to let my head go there when I needed to learn how my livelihood would be funded.
People didn’t throw money at observatories and researchers for shits and giggles. With some of the attendees, I thought it was more for bragging rights, but others were representing governments. They all wanted to know where to find little green men.
Was there a planet out there capable of supporting human life?
Maybe—no, probably. We just hadn’t found it yet.
Funny, I wasn’t sure any of these folks would be interested in following the Prime Directive, and I had no idea where Savva fell on the scale. Was he in it for the tax write off, or was it something else?
Aside from the tabloid stories, which I didn’t read past the headlines and were of questionable value, the only thing I knew about him was that he had good taste in tattoos and an ass I wanted my legs wrapped around.
When the meeting broke up for the day, I hid a sigh of relief and closed my laptop. As if he’d heard me, Savva chuckled.
“We’re free now,” he murmured. “Would you like to attend the cocktail hour before we change for supper?”
Despite my huge lunch, my stomach rumbled at the mention of food. “We could take a walk around Logården before we eat.”
“Are you sure you don’t want to attend the cocktail hour first? I feel terrible for making you miss the meetings.”
“No, it’s really okay. I’m kind of socially awkward in crowds and learning about how observatories are funded was useful.”
He crooked an elbow, obviously expecting me to take it. As he escorted me to the elevator, he leaned close, then whispered, “Liar. You were bored out of your mind. Thank you for being so gracious about it.”
I laughed and stepped into the elevator, inhaling the rich scent of his aftershave. “Okay, you got me. I might have been a teensy bit bored, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t worthwhile. If I manage to get a permanent position at an observatory, I need to know how they’re funded.”
“Let me make it up to you.” With a flourish, he swiped his keycard over the lock and opened the door to my room.
“Oh, wow.” I stepped inside and kicked off my shoes before I ruined the thick pale gray carpeting. “This is amazing.”
Decorated with antique furniture and fresh flowers in large vases, the suite was bigger than Daddy’s house. Sheer curtains covered a glass wall overlooking the harbor, and a French door led to a balcony with a wrought iron café table and two chairs surrounded by potted trees.
Two closed doors led to what I presumed were bedrooms, but I didn’t know why they’d give one person such a large room. Seemed wasteful to me, but who was I to judge?
There was even a bottle of champagne in an ice bucket on the dining table, along with two flutes. I couldn’t see the label, but it wouldn’t surprise me to learn it cost more than Betsy, my pickup.
If this was where the hotel put a housekeeper, I didn’t want to imagine what Savva’s room looked like.
It probably has a solid gold toilet seat.
Hiding a giggle, I stepped outside to the balcony and took several photos to send to Daddy. He’d be tickled that I got off the island and went somewhere, and I bet the sunset over the harbor would be stunning. Unfortunately, this time of year, it wouldn’t even start until ten o’clock. I planned to be in bed and snoozing by then.
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it,” Savva murmured.
I turned to see him follow me outside with the wine and both glasses. “Yeah. It’s amazing.”
He’d taken off his jacket and rolled his sleeves to reveal gorgeous Japanese-style tattoos. His shirt was unbuttoned, letting me catch a glimpse of the ink on his neck. It was like he knew just how to get my motor revving. Swallowing hard, I turned my attention back to the busy harbor before my inner ho took over.
“Indeed.” He sat and opened the wine, then filled our glasses. “Sit with me. We’ll relax before supper.”
“Um… shouldn’t you be heading to your own room?”
I couldn’t exactly throw him out, but I really wanted a chance to decompress and let my libido simmer down before I had to have another meal with him.
“I’m terribly sorry,” he said, giving me a frown that didn’t erase the wicked amusement in his blue eyes. “I’m afraid there was a snafu with our reservation. We’ll have to share this one.”
